So, I used to be a member of this forum, but lost my password, couldn't remember my username, and had to start over. Anyway, about 2 years ago, I bought the Thruster Fixie when it first came out, one of the first people to buy one actually. I still have it, it still works, and the Eighthinch BB and crank are great on it. I started getting serious with biking, and realized I couldn't get over 5 miles at a good pace on the road with the bike. So, I found a 1998 Cannondale road bike on Craigslist and bought it for my weekly rides (up to 15 miles a day, every other day with strength and core training on off days). Anyway, I have this good condition single speed sitting in my entry way closet now, and the question arose, what do I do with it? I could sell it, but Thrusters have horrible resale where I live, and I wouldn't even get what I put into the BB and crankset for it, let alone the Wellgo pedals and cages. Living in South East Florida, I mainly have flat tarmac roads, but I do have some nice off-road trails within and hour drive. But, what if I don't have a mountain bike? No problem, it's called cyclocross, and it's probably the weirdest, yet coolest form of cycling there is. It dates back to the early 1900's, and the bikes resemble road bikes, but have slightly altered geometry and parts to make them easier to deal with in the dirt and mud. Also, single speeds aren't unheard of in cyclocross, either. So, now I have my uses for the bike, now I just have to stockpile parts. This thread will be a log of my build process. I notice when I log what i'm doing, I stay more committed. So, lets start the checklist! Now, by cyclocross rules, mountain bikes with flat bars are allowed, and there are classes for amateurs that are rung what you brung. I don't plan to do anything serious with this bike (if I get serious, i'll buy another road bike and turn the Cannondale into a cyclocross bike), but there are a few things that are quaint essential cyclocross in my mind, and that is drop bars with hoods and 700C tires. Now, I am in the process of upgrading the Cannondale, so the stem and bars/just bars will be cannonbalized from it when I get a stem adapter, stem and carbon drops. The brake levers will find their way off the Cannondale as well, since I plan to be switching from downtube shifters to brifters eventually. So, there's the drive part done, now to wheels. For regular use, the stock 700x35's that the Thruster come with will do fine, but more meat on the tread would be nice. I hear Kenda makes some nice CX tires, so a set of those are in order. As well as rim painting, new back break (threw out the old one), track bike style chain tensioner, and truing the wheels. That will get me a nicely functioning CX style bike, all for the price of tires and old parts. Total cost including original purchase price of bike and parts on should not top $225. So, now the part shopping starts!

I quite like the idea of turning a Thruster into a cyclocross bike. Although there are no cyclocross events within 90 miles of where I live, I managed to watch one and it was awesome. Spectator involvement is part of the fun, too.

Since you're into the Thruster already and only about $200 will get you on that bike as a cyclocross participant, what can possibly go wrong?

Keep us posted, seriously. I love that stuff and wish we had enough people here to put one on. Don't forget your password and ID this time!!!

I'm fortunate enough to have just moved into a very small community centrally located near some larger cities. The small town in which I have moved to wants to focus on making it a tourist/cycling community with parks and commuter paths, rail to trail, etc so I am going to try and spear head this with a cyclocross park and possibly and concrete velodrome.

garybbentley wrote:I'm fortunate enough to have just moved into a very small community centrally located near some larger cities. The small town in which I have moved to wants to focus on making it a tourist/cycling community with parks and commuter paths, rail to trail, etc so I am going to try and spear head this with a cyclocross park and possibly and concrete velodrome.

The velodrome will be a project, no doubt about it. Redmond, WA was a small community near a big city (Bellevue and Seattle) and they built a terrific bike trail and velodrome about 30 years ago. Then a company called Microsoft built their corporate HQ there and the tiny place just took off.

We are nowhere near any large cities and the mental climate in this small community is decidedly not bicycle oriented. Although we have some perfect places for cyclocross events I doubt we'll ever get any.

They do have a BMX track, however. But the city politicos got into financial trouble and now are threatening to close it and the associated batting cages and ice skating arena down. It's a continuing struggle.